Tag: creative edge arts

Happy Monday! I’m taking a short break from healthy food and fitness today to talk about my wedding. I know the title of this post seems a bit boastful, but the truth is that my wedding was only beautiful because of all the amazing people involved that helped make it possible!

One year ago today I was stressing over white lanterns, teardrop earrings and seating charts. Luckily I don’t have to deal with that anymore, but there are a lot of brides out there right now who are probably wondering things like “who should I choose for a DJ”, “how can I afford a beachfront wedding” and “what the h@ll am I going to do for favors”?

So seven months later I’ve finally compiled a list of everyone who helped make my day so incredibly perfect, so that I can share it with others who may be looking for a little bit of help! And luckily for them, these vendors come Katie-approved. Believe me, my vetting process was intense and I am very picky, so rest assured, they are all top notch.

Shawn and I were married at the Union Bluff hotel in York, Maine. The hotel is located right on Short Sands Beach and the ceremony takes place on the “bluff” of grass overlooking the ocean. The reception is held in the Meeting House ballroom, which has a beautiful outdoor patio with ocean views. Two great things about this venue – 1. it comes with a wedding coordinator, Darlene Yankura, who is incredibly helpful and knows her stuff 2. their Sunday pricing makes it actually affordable to get married on the ocean!

Lynn is a magician with flowers and is literally the nicest person you will ever meet. She was always a text, email or call away and I fully trusted her to deliver creative arrangements, and that she did!

Maryann took us by surprise. We were about to go with another (very expensive) bakery and then we did a tasting in Maryann’s home kitchen. It was the best cake we had ever had and at 10am we could not stop eating the double fudge chocolate slice she placed in front of us. The cake came out beautiful, she was easy to work with and best of all, it was a bargain price.

How cute are these favors? These were one my favorite things about my wedding. I tortured my bridesmaids by making them fill up 120 jars of popcorn the night before the wedding, but in the end it was worth it. The popcorn came from Coastal Maine Popcorn in Maine and I highly recommend the Rice Crispy Treat flavor. Oh. my. god. so delicious.

Skip David’s Bridal for your gown. Trust me. Getting your gown at Madeleine’s Daughter in Portsmouth is the quintessential dress experience. The shop is beautiful and everyone treats you like a queen, or a princess rather. Who doesn’t want that?! They are able to accommodate all kinds of budgets and a personal consultant helps you through the whole process.

Our photographer was able to make two awkward, shy people look like a million bucks. I mean, have you seen our photos? Trust me, we don’t look that good in real life. Will is so professional, quick to respond and most importantly takes amazing photos. He was recommended to us by a friend and we continue to recommend him to our friends time and time again.

Josh and Kyle were creative, professional and seemingly invisible! The best videographer is the one you don’t notice. P.S. if you’re on the fence about getting a videographer, DO IT! Watching our video was like reliving the day, and it goes by SO fast that you will want the opportunity to see it again.

Aaron was our DJ and played classical guitar for our ceremony. Numerous people came up to us and told us how much they loved his playing. Plus he was great at keeping the party going on the dance floor!

Overall it was truly one of the happiest days of my life. I remember feeling so calm and able to just enjoy the day, which was possible because of my amazing vendors (and of course a few helpful bridesmaids and groomsmen).

If you are a bride in the Seacoast area planning your wedding, feel free to reach out to me with any questions! I’m happy to help wherever I can 🙂

And if you’re just a lover of all-things happy and pretty, I hope you enjoyed my wedding recap!